Mexico has extradited 26 suspected members of major drug cartels to the United States, responding to escalating pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to dismantle the country’s powerful criminal networks.
The suspects, linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, were handed over on Tuesday following a request from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Mexico’s attorney general’s office and security ministry confirmed the transfer, noting that U.S. authorities assured Mexico the death penalty would not be sought.
The move marks the second large-scale extradition this year, following the February transfer of 29 alleged cartel leaders, a decision that stirred political debate in Mexico over sovereignty and legal process.
President Claudia Sheinbaum’s decision highlights the delicate balance she faces: maintaining cooperation with Washington while resisting Trump’s threats of unilateral U.S. military action on Mexican soil.
Trump has linked tariffs on Mexican goods to the fentanyl crisis and last week ordered the Pentagon to prepare operations against drug gangs designated as global terrorist organizations.
“This transfer is yet another example of what is possible when two governments unite against violence and impunity,” said U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson. “These fugitives will now face justice in American courts, and the citizens of both our nations will be safer.”
Sheinbaum has indicated that Mexico and the U.S. are close to finalizing a security agreement to expand joint anti-cartel operations, but she has firmly rejected the idea of U.S. military intervention within Mexico’s borders.
Written By Rodney Mbua
